Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The C-141 did the A400 before the A400 did!

Once the USAF had a capable airlifter that had about the same carry capability as the A400, was cheaper, faster and could fly further...as a matter of fact this airplane (if it were still in production) would be the main rival to the A400.

What is that airplane from years ago?

The C-141.

Might be time to dust off the old birds from the scrapyards and stick modern engines on them and put them back into service!




UPDATE!
Thanks to everyone for their comments but a few points...
1.  The C-141 cubing out before reaching its max takeoff weight was examined and to a certain degree rectified by the stretched C-141B.
2.  In the light that the C-141 was tweener...between the C-5 and the smaller C-130 makes it similar to the A400 in mission profile..
3.  If you think that any of the partner nations in the A400 project are going to be using the A400 on rough fields, etc, then I've got a bridge in a dark swamp to sell ya...it ain't going to happen.
4.  The idea that in addition to A330, the A400 will make a superior tanker is nonsense.  The A400 will not be procured in large enough numbers for it to perform a swing role...a role that the A330 is more than adequate for.
5.  The C-141 is faster, flies farther and carries as much as the A400...the only place where the A400 might be superior is the fact that it can carry SOME outsized cargo.